Politics
Health Ministry Clarifies Village Health Volunteer Compensation Amid Local Administrative Transfers
The Department of Health Service Support has confirmed that compensation for Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) remains under the Ministry of Public Health's jurisdiction despite ongoing administrative transfers to local government organizations.
On September 17, 2026, the Department of Health Service Support (DHSS) under the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) issued a clarification regarding the compensation of Village Health Volunteers (VHVs). This statement follows concerns raised by a subcommittee on public health mission transfers, which had proposed that Sub-district Health Promoting Hospitals (RPS) transferred to Provincial Administrative Organizations (PAO) should take over the certification of VHV performance for payment purposes, replacing the District Public Health Offices.
This proposal caused confusion among some volunteers regarding the payment process and performance verification. In response, the DHSS emphasized that the management and disbursement of VHV compensation remain firmly under the authority of the Ministry of Public Health. The department assured that the ongoing transfer of certain health missions to local authorities will not disrupt the existing compensation framework or the volunteers' operational status. The ministry continues to uphold the core principle of volunteerism as the foundation for driving Thailand's public health system.
For residents and expatriates, this clarification ensures that the community-based health network remains stable and that the volunteers who support local health initiatives continue to operate under established national standards. While the administrative structure of local hospitals is evolving, the oversight of the volunteer workforce remains centralized. Further updates regarding the specific operational roles of transferred hospitals in relation to local health programs remain to be confirmed as the transition process continues.
